Chasing the sun? Make sure you’re covered
Miserable weather this January means that many of us will be busy planning getaways to sunnier climes, but make sure you buy travel cover at the same time you book your break.
More than half (55%) of holidaymakers who buy single trip travel insurance policies buy them less than seven days prior to departure, according to insurer Multitrip, leaving themselves exposed if something goes wrong before they fly.
Christian Bennett from Multitrip.com said: “Buying insurance as soon as you book protects your holiday investment from day one. If illness or an unexpected emergency means you have to cancel, early cover can make the difference between recovering your costs or losing the lot.”
Worryingly, some holidaymakers skip buying cover altogether, with three in 10 (29%) admitting to travelling abroad with no insurance, even though this could prove a false economy in the long run.
Bear in mind when buying cover that you must declare any medical conditions or medicines you are taking. This includes things like weight loss injections, ADHD medication and menopause treatments.
Rhys Jones, Go.Compare travel insurance expert, said:: “As well as declaring any conditions that require ongoing treatment, you must tell your insurer about recent surgeries or conditions that you have finished treatment for, as well as mental health issues and any prescription medication you’re on.
“Failing to declare a condition could completely invalidate your policy. If you need medical help abroad, the bill could easily run into tens of thousands of pounds. Honesty really is the best policy when it comes to travel insurance.”
If you do have a medical condition, it’s particularly important to make sure that you choose a policy that provides you with sufficient protection, so make sure you read the policy small print carefully before buying.
Garry Nelson, head of corporate affairs at AllClear Travel Insurance said: “If people with medical conditions are shopping around for cheap policies for 2026, they may find their policy doesn’t meet their needs if they have a medical emergency and need looking after abroad. Non-declaration and under-declaration of medical conditions when buying travel cover is a huge issue that needs to be tackled urgently – and it starts with customers shopping for travel policies on quality of cover not the cheapest price.”
Check for winter sports cover if heading to the slopes
If you’re planning a ski trip in the next few weeks, make sure any policy you buy includes cover for winter sports, Analysis by comparison site Go.Compare reviewed 923 single-trip and 923 annual travel insurance policies on Defaqto and found that only 6% of single-trip policies and 11% of annual policies include winter sports cover as standard, so don’t assume you’re covered automatically.
You’ll need to take out specialist inter sports cover, as this is designed to provide for the extra medical expenses you might need if you injure yourself whilst skiing.
Mr Jones said: “It’s easy to assume your travel insurance will protect you on a ski trip, and if you’ve got an annual policy in place, you might forget to check the conditions before you go. But as our analysis shows, this could be costly.
“It isn’t just about whether you’re covered if the piste is closed due to too little or too much snow, or if you lose your ski pass, having a specialist insurance policy in place means you’ll be protected if you injure yourself on the slopes. While standard travel insurance does cover some medical expenses, getting medical aid to someone injured on a mountain and recovering them is a more complex situation, often involving mountain rescue, and therefore costing more.”